[78-L] Cleaning Diamond Discs with Grain Alcohol

[Rodger J Holtin]

You'll think this is nuts, but just try it on a known dud and prove it for yourself.

50+ years ago I got a batch of those things that were so filthy that I wouldn't dare play them on anything, my Edison or a kiddie player (anticipating I wouldn't hear much anyway), much less my brand new Garrard, but the curiosity was too great.  I had read somewhere in Edison literature (sleeves??) about using alcohol, but I couldn't stand the thought of being all that fussy about alcohol (and cotton swabs?) like the Edison instructions, so I tried something radical.  It still works.  I was a teenager and still experimenting with life and taking risks anyway.  Most of those same records are still with me and I defy anyone to find any water damage on any of them.  

Take just a touch of neutral shoe polish on an old athletic sock and polish the label, polish the big old fat Edison edge and use a Q-tip to daub polish in the center hole.  Wash the surface with a little water and drop or two of Dawn with a paint pad and rinse under running water.  Really.  The polish keeps the water out of the precious edges and off the label.  The polish dries and the label goes back to its original stark white in a few hours or days.  The polish on the rag also cleans the label.  Really.

Yes, I've even done this with some with badly flaked edges.  They take a bit more polish and perhaps a quicker rinse under the tap, but I have NEVER had the first problem.  Admittedly, the tough customers are the ones with loose labels, so just keep the rinse side upstream of the label and you should have no trouble.  No need to do this for the pressed or etched labels, of course.

It works for wing tips or batwings, too.
Just try it.

Rodger The Heretic Holtin   
78-L Member Since MCMXCVIII

For Best Results Use Victor Needles

-----Original Message-----
From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com [mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] On Behalf Of David Breneman
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2018 12:30 PM
To: 78 list <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Subject: [78-L] Cleaning Diamond Discs with Grain Alcohol


 
Will grain alcohol harm Diamond Discs?  I tried cleaning one recently and it left rub marks on the surface which will not wipe off.  It appears to actually have altered the surface.
 
 
 
--
David Breneman
dbreneman at t-online.de
 
 

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